Overview
Prescribing by non-medical practitioners has expanded and become embedded in health and care systems. Since its introduction, the qualification has facilitated the development of new roles for nurses, midwives, and eligible allied health professionals, which benefit both service delivery and service users. For practitioners, it offers the opportunity to develop genuine autonomy in a range of interesting and varied roles. It will also allow you to work with appropriate prescribers in a supplementary prescribing arrangement, prescribing medicines that form part of an identified/agreed Clinical Management Plan (CMP).
You can either undertake the programme as a standalone qualification or as part of our MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice.
The indicative content, learning outcomes and methods of assessment reflect the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Competency Framework which is the standard for prescribing practice. In order to ensure that these competencies are addressed the indicative content will include such topics as the policies/procedures of independent and supplementary prescribing, consultation and decision making, the influences on and psychology of prescribing, prescribing in a team context, clinical pharmacology and therapeutics and the effects of co-morbidity across the lifespan, evidence based practice and clinical governance in relation to non-medical prescribing, legal, policy and ethical aspects, professional accountability and responsibility, drug licensing, monitoring procedures and reporting of adverse drug reactions, cost effective prescribing, record keeping, and prescribing controlled drugs.
How you will be taught
At our Centre for Health Innovation, you’ll be taking part in face-to-face lectures, workshops, discussions, and collaborative work with other students. This will be supported through online resources.
On campus, you will also get to practise your skills using our simulation facilities. The training scenarios could involve anything from dealing with anxious families to angry patients – preparing you for a range of real-life challenges.
Study Levels and Assessment
The qualification can be taken at either Level 6 or 7.
Both levels are taught in the same way and require you to complete six assessments. However, Level 7 will be assessed at a higher level for some of the work.
For further information about assessments and the answers to frequently asked questions, please see the applicant information document in the ‘Supporting Documents’ section at the bottom of the page.